Devils arrive for important mission Down Under
Jane Healy, Auckland Zoo and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) 17.09.2024
Two female purinina/Tasmanian devils recently arriving at Auckland Zoo have been named in palawa kani.
Palawa children at the Aboriginal Childrens Centre (ACC), Piyura Kitina/Risdon Cove and Tasmanian Aboriginal Child Care Association (TACCA), Launceston as well as children attending Launceston TAC After School Groups chose the names ‘wiri’ which means ‘starfish’ and ‘wayana’ which means ‘shark’ as names relating to sea creatures.
‘The children enjoyed exploring and learning all about their favourite sea animals while having fun naming purinina’, ‘the top pick was ‘wiri’ with children thinking it is hilarious for purinina to be named starfish!’ (TAC).
The two-year-old sisters, (have been given palawa kani names) to honour their heritage, are here as part of the Tasmanian Devil Ambassador Program – to raise awareness of their species.
Once widespread throughout mainland Australia, these unique nocturnal carnivorous marsupials (the world’s largest) are today found only in Tasmania. Since emerging in 1996, the highly contagious cancer Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) – spread when mature devils naturally compete for food and breeding partners to mate, has wiped out 80 percent of the wild population.
Auckland Zoo’s lead carnivore keeper, Nick Parashchak, who spent time in Tasmania working alongside colleagues at Cressy in preparation for the sisters’ arrival, says there’s a lot to love about these remarkable and endearing animals.
“Historically, the Tasmanian devil hasn’t been well understood. In contrast to its infamous cartoon character, real devils are beautiful animals, naturally quite timid and shy, but also extremely curious. They have many distinct (and some very loud and fierce sounding!) vocalisations and physical gestures, but most are a bluff and part of rituals and strategies to avoid fighting to prevent harming each other, including when they come together to feed on a carcass. And some devil vocalisations are just the equivalent of a friendly Aussie ‘gidday how are you?’ so shouldn’t be mistaken for aggressiveness,” says Nick.
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